Artwork for podcast The Voice of Dog
“Visage of a Vermin Vandal” by Malcolm F. Cross (read Live at Furlandia, part 1 of 2)
6th July 2026 • The Voice of Dog • Rob MacWolf and guests
00:00:00 00:19:35

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Rick’s boss thinks he was genetically engineered to clean future-sewage, but Rick’s boss is wrong. Rick could be far more than a janitor.

Today’s story was recorded in front of a live audience at Furlandia 2026.

Today’s story is the first of two parts of “Visage of a Vermin Vandal” by Malcolm F. Cross, who has been writing stories in the same setting as this story for more than a decade, including two novels – Dog Country, and Mouse Cage. You can catch up with them at their website, SinIsBeautiful.com, or on Bluesky.

Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.

thevoice.dog | Apple podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

If you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.

https://thevoice.dog/episode/visage-of-a-vermin-vandal-by-malcolm-f-cross-read-live-at-furlandia-part-1-of-2

Transcripts

Speaker:


You’re

Speaker:

listening

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

Voice

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

Dog.

Speaker:

This

Speaker:

is

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Rob MacWolf,

Speaker:

your

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fellow

Speaker:

traveler,

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and

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Today’s

Speaker:

story

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

being

Speaker:

read

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

front

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

live audience at Furlandia 2026. Today’s story is

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

first

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

two

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parts

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of “Visage

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of

Speaker:

a

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Vermin

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Vandal”

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by

Speaker:

Malcolm

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F.

Speaker:

Cross,

Speaker:

who

Speaker:

has

Speaker:

been

Speaker:

writing

Speaker:

stories

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

same

Speaker:

setting

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

this story

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

more

Speaker:

than

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

decade,

Speaker:

including

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two

Speaker:

novels –

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Dog

Speaker:

Country,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

Mouse

Speaker:

Cage.

Speaker:

You

Speaker:

can

Speaker:

catch

Speaker:

up

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

them

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

their

Speaker:

website,

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SinIsBeautiful.com, or

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on

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Bluesky.

Please

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enjoy


“Visage

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

Vermin

Speaker:

Vandal”

Speaker:

by

Speaker:

Malcolm

Speaker:

F.

Speaker:

Cross,

Speaker:

Part 1

Speaker:

of 2

Hartley

Speaker:

stopped

Speaker:

dead

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

office

Speaker:

corridor,

Speaker:

staring

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

Rick’s

Speaker:

arm. “Is

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

shit?”
“Uh,

Speaker:

no,

Speaker:

sir.”

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

covered

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

stain

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

hand. “It’s

Speaker:

iodine.

Speaker:

We

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

clean

Speaker:

up

Speaker:

after

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

gullets were

Speaker:

flushed.”
“Iodine

Speaker:

gets

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

shit,

Speaker:

so,

Speaker:

that’s

Speaker:

shit.”

Speaker:

Hartley

Speaker:

paused

Speaker:

again

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

office

Speaker:

door,

Speaker:

glaring

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

Rick. “Go

Speaker:

get

Speaker:

cleaned

Speaker:

up.”
“My

Speaker:

promotion

Speaker:

application

Speaker:

review—”
“Isn’t

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

five

Speaker:

minutes.

Speaker:

Get

Speaker:

properly

Speaker:

cleaned

Speaker:

up.”

Speaker:

Hartley

Speaker:

sneered

Speaker:

vaguely,

Speaker:

before

Speaker:

slipping

Speaker:

inside.
Properly

Speaker:

cleaned

Speaker:

up.

Speaker:

A

Speaker:

statement

Speaker:

dripping

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

human

Speaker:

privilege –

Speaker:

bare

Speaker:

skin

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

always

Speaker:

look

Speaker:

clean

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

enough

Speaker:

abrasive

Speaker:

scrubbing,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

white

Speaker:

fur

Speaker:

never

Speaker:

looked

Speaker:

clean.

Speaker:

Not

Speaker:

without

Speaker:

regular

Speaker:

bleaching

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

rebleaching

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

weekly,

Speaker:

if

Speaker:

not

Speaker:

daily,

Speaker:

spa

Speaker:

treatments.

Speaker:

At

Speaker:

least

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

keep

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

hands

Speaker:

clean –

Speaker:

they

Speaker:

were

Speaker:

partly

Speaker:

unfurred,

Speaker:

one

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

very

Speaker:

few

Speaker:

advantages

Speaker:

rats

Speaker:

had.
A

Speaker:

trip

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

washroom

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

another

Speaker:

round

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

furious

Speaker:

scrubbing

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

hydrogen

Speaker:

peroxide

Speaker:

spritzer

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

do

Speaker:

much

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

get

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

yellow-brown

Speaker:

iodine

Speaker:

smear

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

fur –

Speaker:

faded

Speaker:

it,

Speaker:

some,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

this

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

third

Speaker:

attempt

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

spot-cleaning

Speaker:

after

Speaker:

post-shift

Speaker:

scrub-out.

Speaker:

Maybe

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

wasn’t

Speaker:

just

Speaker:

iodine,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

certainly

Speaker:

wasn’t

Speaker:

gullet-waste.

Speaker:

Nothing

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

do

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

hide

Speaker:

it,

Speaker:

either,

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

work

Speaker:

shirt

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

short-sleeved.
Hartley,

Speaker:

across

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

desk

Speaker:

from

Speaker:

Rick,

Speaker:

wrinkled

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

nose

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

if

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

smell

Speaker:

something.

Speaker:

He

Speaker:

couldn’t –

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

certain

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

that.

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

remnants

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

peroxide

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

weren’t

Speaker:

overpowered

Speaker:

by

Speaker:

Hartley’s

Speaker:

cologne

Speaker:

were

Speaker:

all

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

smell,

Speaker:

so

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

only

Speaker:

source

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

bullshit

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

office

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

Hartley’s

Speaker:

management

Speaker:

style.
“You

Speaker:

really

Speaker:

need

Speaker:

better

Speaker:

hygiene

Speaker:

practices,”

Speaker:

Hartley

Speaker:

said.
“Yes,

Speaker:

sir,”

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

replied,

Speaker:

because

Speaker:

bringing

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

sample

Speaker:

swabs

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

prove

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

sterile

Speaker:

might

Speaker:

have

Speaker:

proved

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

right

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

Hartley

Speaker:

wrong,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

proving

Speaker:

Hartley

Speaker:

wrong

Speaker:

would

Speaker:

get

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

fired.
Hartley

Speaker:

flicked

Speaker:

Rick’s

Speaker:

file

Speaker:

onto

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

sheet

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

smart-paper

Speaker:

sitting

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

desktop,

Speaker:

picked

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

up,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

leaned

Speaker:

back

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

peruse

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

document.
The

Speaker:

silence

Speaker:

grew,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

stretched,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

broke

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

by

Speaker:

murmuring, “Sorry

Speaker:

about

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

stain.

Speaker:

It’s

Speaker:

definitely

Speaker:

sterile –

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

swabbed

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

after

Speaker:

scrub-out.

Speaker:

Might

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

chemical

Speaker:

reaction

Speaker:

from

Speaker:

one

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

solvents.”
Hartley’s

Speaker:

face

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

blank.

Speaker:

He

Speaker:

made

Speaker:

eye

Speaker:

contact,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

slowly

Speaker:

composed

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

smile. “Fairly

Speaker:

strong

Speaker:

solvents you

Speaker:

need

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

use,

Speaker:

cleaning

Speaker:

bioreactors.”
“Yes,

Speaker:

sir.”
“You

Speaker:

know,

Speaker:

you’re

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

perfect

Speaker:

position

Speaker:

where

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

are.”

Speaker:

Hartley

Speaker:

put

Speaker:

down

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

smart-paper,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

knew

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

wasn’t

Speaker:

getting

Speaker:

promoted. “Human

Speaker:

staff

Speaker:

need

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

have

Speaker:

their

Speaker:

immunizations

Speaker:

boosted,

Speaker:

seasonally,

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

work

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

biohazard

Speaker:

cleanup.

Speaker:

There

Speaker:

are

Speaker:

risks

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

that.

Speaker:

Your

Speaker:

production

Speaker:

run are

Speaker:

naturally

Speaker:

immune,

Speaker:

aren’t

Speaker:

they,

Speaker:

Hendrix?”
“Rick

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

fine,”

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

said,

Speaker:

quietly.
“You

Speaker:

are

Speaker:

immune

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

biofallout,

Speaker:

aren’t

Speaker:

you?”
“Yes,

Speaker:

sir,”

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

agreed.

Speaker:

Most

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

mass

Speaker:

cloned

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

gengineered

Speaker:

furries

Speaker:

were,

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

one

Speaker:

extent

Speaker:

or

Speaker:

another,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

hundred

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

six

Speaker:

brothers

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

their

Speaker:

immunity

Speaker:

certified.
And

Speaker:

Hartley

Speaker:

knew

Speaker:

that,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

know

Speaker:

why

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

inappropriate

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

leap

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

conclusion

Speaker:

of, “Were

Speaker:

they

Speaker:

testing

Speaker:

your

Speaker:

immunity,

Speaker:

before

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

Emancipation?

Speaker:

Like,

Speaker:

ah,

Speaker:

lab

Speaker:

rats?”
Rick

Speaker:

tried

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

remain

Speaker:

neutral. “No,

Speaker:

sir.

Speaker:

When

Speaker:

we

Speaker:

were

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

high

Speaker:

school

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

almost

Speaker:

thirty

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

my

Speaker:

brothers

Speaker:

and our

Speaker:

foster-parents

Speaker:

jointly

Speaker:

paid

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

have

Speaker:

our

Speaker:

production

Speaker:

run’s

Speaker:

immune

Speaker:

system

Speaker:

tested.

Speaker:

For

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

work-opportunities.”

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

tried

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

smile.
“Well, it’s

Speaker:

certainly

Speaker:

helping

Speaker:

you.

Speaker:

Is

Speaker:

this

Speaker:

sort

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

work

Speaker:

what

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

were

Speaker:

designed

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

trained

Speaker:

for,

Speaker:

pre-Emancipation?”
People

Speaker:

who

Speaker:

worked

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

furs –

Speaker:

or

Speaker:

more

Speaker:

accurately,

Speaker:

people

Speaker:

who

Speaker:

cared –

Speaker:

usually

Speaker:

understood

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

distasteful

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

try

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

gather

Speaker:

salacious

Speaker:

details

Speaker:

about

Speaker:

pre-Emancipation

Speaker:

life.

Speaker:

But

Speaker:

Hartley

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

care,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

forced

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

reflexive

Speaker:

search

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

an

Speaker:

acceptable

Speaker:

answer

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

deflect

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

question.

Speaker:

But

Speaker:

Rick’s

Speaker:

reflexes

Speaker:

weren’t

Speaker:

fast

Speaker:

enough

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

avoid

Speaker:

remembering,

Speaker:

just

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

moment,

Speaker:

being

Speaker:

denied

Speaker:

food

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

sleep

Speaker:

until

Speaker:

he’d

Speaker:

been

Speaker:

able

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

cut

Speaker:

metal

Speaker:

within tolerances

Speaker:

or

Speaker:

put

Speaker:

down

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

weld

Speaker:

bead

Speaker:

correctly.
In

Speaker:

effect,

Speaker:

being

Speaker:

tortured.

Speaker:

Until

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

eight.
Even

Speaker:

Hartley

Speaker:

wouldn’t

Speaker:

do

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

him,

Speaker:

if

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

couldn’t

Speaker:

come

Speaker:

up

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

an

Speaker:

answer.

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

knew

Speaker:

that.

Speaker:

But

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

please-the-boss

Speaker:

smile

Speaker:

shook

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

said,

Speaker:

simply, “We

Speaker:

learned

Speaker:

practical

Speaker:

skills.

Speaker:

A

Speaker:

lot

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

working

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

our

Speaker:

hands.”
“That

Speaker:

makes

Speaker:

sense,”

Speaker:

Hartley

Speaker:

said,

Speaker:

glancing

Speaker:

back

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

smart-paper

Speaker:

sheet. “No

Speaker:

wonder

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

excel

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

this

Speaker:

position.”
There

Speaker:

wasn’t

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

way

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

protest

Speaker:

that.

Speaker:

Not

Speaker:

without

Speaker:

losing

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

job. “Thank

Speaker:

you,

Speaker:

sir.”
“I’ll

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

direct.”

Speaker:

Hartley

Speaker:

put

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

smart-paper

Speaker:

down,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

leaned

Speaker:

over

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

desk,

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

if

Speaker:

taking

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

confidence. “You

Speaker:

haven’t

Speaker:

been

Speaker:

selected

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

shift-supervisor.

Speaker:

Your

Speaker:

metrics

Speaker:

are

Speaker:

average.”
“That’s

Speaker:

why

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

applied

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

training –

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

thought

Speaker:

if

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

get

Speaker:

trained

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

role

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

might

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

able

Speaker:

to…”

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

struggled

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

find

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

right

Speaker:

words,

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

corporate

Speaker:

propaganda

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

jargon

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

might

Speaker:

mean

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

few

Speaker:

more

Speaker:

New

Speaker:

Dollars

Speaker:

an

Speaker:

hour. “…

Speaker:

Contribute

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

company’s

Speaker:

culture

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

responsibility,

Speaker:

opportunity,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

personal

Speaker:

excellence.”
“I

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

attitude,”

Speaker:

Hartley

Speaker:

said,

Speaker:

patronizingly,

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

an

Speaker:

inexperienced

Speaker:

attempt

Speaker:

at a

Speaker:

fatherly

Speaker:

smile. “Unfortunately,

Speaker:

if we

Speaker:

promoted

Speaker:

based

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

attitude,

Speaker:

GaleHome’s

Speaker:

sanitary

Speaker:

services

Speaker:

management

Speaker:

team

Speaker:

would

Speaker:

have

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

wealth

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

enthusiasm,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

experts

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

cleaning

Speaker:

their

Speaker:

own

Speaker:

offices,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

lack

Speaker:

management

Speaker:

skills

Speaker:

entirely.

Speaker:

I’m

Speaker:

sorry,

Speaker:

Rick.”
“Yes,

Speaker:

sir,”

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

murmured.
“On

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

bright

Speaker:

side,

Speaker:

you’re

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

perfect

Speaker:

fit

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

role

Speaker:

you’re

Speaker:

in.

Speaker:

After

Speaker:

all,

Speaker:

you’re

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

rat,

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

were

Speaker:

made

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

work

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

your

Speaker:

hands.

Speaker:

If

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

let

Speaker:

it,

Speaker:

cleaning

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

bioreactor

Speaker:

sewage

Speaker:

lines

Speaker:

can

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

your

Speaker:

happy

Speaker:

place.”

*

A

Speaker:

lot

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

people

Speaker:

ignored

Speaker:

how

Speaker:

hard

Speaker:

cleaning

Speaker:

was,

Speaker:

mentally.

Speaker:

Aside

Speaker:

from

Speaker:

retaining

Speaker:

focus

Speaker:

during

Speaker:

repetitive

Speaker:

tasks,

Speaker:

they

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

safely

Speaker:

handle

Speaker:

industrial

Speaker:

cleaning

Speaker:

products

Speaker:

powerful

Speaker:

enough

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

burn

Speaker:

skin

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

contact.

Speaker:

A

Speaker:

good

Speaker:

cleaner

Speaker:

needed

Speaker:

enough

Speaker:

chemistry

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

balance

Speaker:

dissolving

Speaker:

stains

Speaker:

against

Speaker:

dissolving

Speaker:

whatever

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

been

Speaker:

stained.
An

Speaker:

inexperienced

Speaker:

or

Speaker:

undertrained

Speaker:

cleaner,

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

instance,

Speaker:

might

Speaker:

try

Speaker:

an

Speaker:

ammonia

Speaker:

based

Speaker:

glass

Speaker:

cleaner

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

bioreactor

Speaker:

tubes.
Rick

Speaker:

sighed,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

kept

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

hose

Speaker:

playing

Speaker:

over

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

glass-looking

Speaker:

tube

Speaker:

filled

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

cloudy

Speaker:

whorls

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

liquid. “Well,

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

least

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

mix

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

bleach.”
It

Speaker:

should

Speaker:

have

Speaker:

come

Speaker:

up

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

pre-job

Speaker:

brief.

Speaker:

Sandalio

Speaker:

knew

Speaker:

that,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

hadn’t

Speaker:

flagged

Speaker:

it,

Speaker:

which

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

why

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

angry

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

himself.

Speaker:

Unfortunately,

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

anger

Speaker:

spilled

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

Melisa. “Don’t

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

understand

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

this

Speaker:

equipment

Speaker:

has

Speaker:

special

Speaker:

coatings?

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

glass

Speaker:

cleaner

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

uncoated

Speaker:

glass

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

observation

Speaker:

windows!”
“Si, si, I’m

Speaker:

sorry,”

Speaker:

Melisa

Speaker:

said,

Speaker:

head

Speaker:

bowed

Speaker:

under

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

weight

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

protective

Speaker:

hood

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

Sandalio’s

Speaker:

disapproval.
“Ammonia

Speaker:

can

Speaker:

destroy

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

coatings

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

this

Speaker:

equipment!”
“I

Speaker:

think

Speaker:

we

Speaker:

got

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

time.

Speaker:

Probably.

Speaker:

I

Speaker:

don’t

Speaker:

see

Speaker:

any

Speaker:

damage,”

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

said.
Sandalio

Speaker:

glared

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

him.
Rick

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

say

Speaker:

anything

Speaker:

else.

Speaker:

Sandalio

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

shift-supervisor.

Speaker:

He

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

personable

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

friendly –

Speaker:

when

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

wasn’t

Speaker:

pissed

Speaker:

off –

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

he’d

Speaker:

been

Speaker:

shift-supervisor

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

all

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

years

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

been

Speaker:

working

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

GaleHome.

Speaker:

But

Speaker:

Sandalio

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

forgetful

Speaker:

when

Speaker:

onboarding

Speaker:

new

Speaker:

staff –

Speaker:

preferring

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

reassure

Speaker:

them

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

they’d

Speaker:

pick

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

up

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

they

Speaker:

went

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

friendly

Speaker:

smile.
Most

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

time

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

worked,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

most

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

time

Speaker:

GaleHome

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

send

Speaker:

cleaning

Speaker:

staff

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

Bestgreen

Speaker:

Bioagricultural’s

Speaker:

core

Speaker:

factories

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

their

Speaker:

first

Speaker:

week.
A

Speaker:

small

Speaker:

voice

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

back

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

Rick’s head

Speaker:

reminded

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

knew

Speaker:

that,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

if

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

knew

Speaker:

that,

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

already

Speaker:

better

Speaker:

qualified

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

shift-supervisor

Speaker:

than

Speaker:

Sandalio

Speaker:

was.
Rick

Speaker:

played

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

water

Speaker:

over

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

tube,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

one

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

unnaturally

Speaker:

serpentine

Speaker:

turds

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

gullets

Speaker:

produced

Speaker:

began

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

twine

Speaker:

through

Speaker:

it,

Speaker:

leaving

Speaker:

grimy

Speaker:

brown

Speaker:

smears

Speaker:

along

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

interior.

Speaker:

He

Speaker:

turned

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

head

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

watch

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

go,

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

endless

Speaker:

length

Speaker:

gradually

Speaker:

uncoiling

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

breaking

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

sections

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

hit

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

next

Speaker:

pipe

Speaker:

elbow.
Maybe

Speaker:

this,

Speaker:

watching

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

dancing

Speaker:

effluvia

Speaker:

produced

Speaker:

by

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

gullets

Speaker:

digesting

Speaker:

agricultural

Speaker:

waste

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

nutrients

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

cloned

Speaker:

tissue

Speaker:

extruders,

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

happy

Speaker:

place.

Speaker:

Or

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

be.

Speaker:

If

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

let

Speaker:

it.
Today

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

gullet

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

died,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

bioengineers

Speaker:

getting

Speaker:

paid

Speaker:

ten

Speaker:

times

Speaker:

what

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

made

Speaker:

would

Speaker:

install

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

new

Speaker:

one.

Speaker:

Later

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

day,

Speaker:

taking

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

old

Speaker:

one

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

job.
Someone

Speaker:

halfway

Speaker:

between a

Speaker:

veterinarian

Speaker:

and a

Speaker:

software

Speaker:

engineer

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

make

Speaker:

sure

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

tumour-like

Speaker:

heap

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

viscera

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

actually

Speaker:

dead

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

open

Speaker:

up

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

bioreactor

Speaker:

cradle,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

take

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

out.
In

Speaker:

chunks.
Gullets

Speaker:

were

Speaker:

derived

Speaker:

from

Speaker:

ultra-efficient

Speaker:

gengineered

Speaker:

cows,

Speaker:

before

Speaker:

being

Speaker:

spliced

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

cut

Speaker:

down

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

surgically

Speaker:

rebuilt

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

serve

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

truck-sized

Speaker:

digestive

Speaker:

tracts

Speaker:

metabolizing

Speaker:

sugars

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

proteins

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

extracellular

Speaker:

fluids

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

use

Speaker:

elsewhere

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

food

Speaker:

production

Speaker:

bioreactors.

Speaker:

Not

Speaker:

unlike

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

way

Speaker:

furries like Rick and

Speaker:

Hank

Speaker:

had been

Speaker:

made

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

rats,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

Chuck

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

wild

Speaker:

dogs,

Speaker:

and Tilly

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

quolls,

Speaker:

all

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

them

Speaker:

manufactured

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

slaves

Speaker:

then

Speaker:

repurposed

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

people.
At

Speaker:

least

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

have

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

cut

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

gullets

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

chunks,

Speaker:

just

Speaker:

take

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

chunks

Speaker:

away

Speaker:

after

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

vet/software

Speaker:

engineer

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

finished

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

portable

Speaker:

bandsaw.
Ordinarily

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

food

Speaker:

factory

Speaker:

would

Speaker:

just

Speaker:

feed

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

dead

Speaker:

pieces

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

gullet

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

other

Speaker:

gullets,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

despite

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

iodine

Speaker:

flushes

Speaker:

Bestgreen

Speaker:

Bioagricultural

Speaker:

were

Speaker:

still

Speaker:

struggling

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

control

Speaker:

contaminant

Speaker:

outbreaks

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

factory’s

Speaker:

bioreactors.

Speaker:

That

Speaker:

meant

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

heft

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

sloppy

Speaker:

chunks

Speaker:

up

Speaker:

over

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

rim

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

disposal

Speaker:

dumpster,

Speaker:

which

Speaker:

always

Speaker:

leaked

Speaker:

half-digested

Speaker:

faeces,

Speaker:

or

Speaker:

trailed

Speaker:

tangles of

Speaker:

viscera,

Speaker:

or

Speaker:

oozed

Speaker:

blood.
Sandalio

Speaker:

needed

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

break

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

throw

Speaker:

up –

Speaker:

their

Speaker:

masks

Speaker:

weren’t

Speaker:

quite

Speaker:

good

Speaker:

enough

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

keep

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

smells.

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

didn’t,

Speaker:

even

Speaker:

though

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

company

Speaker:

masks

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

fit

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

well

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

they did on

Speaker:

Sandalio.

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

smells,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

mind

Speaker:

them,

Speaker:

either.

Speaker:

Maybe

Speaker:

because

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

rat,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

this

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

happy

Speaker:

place.
After

Speaker:

clearing

Speaker:

up after

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

disposal,

Speaker:

getting

Speaker:

rid

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

everything

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

leaked,

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

hosed

Speaker:

himself

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

personal

Speaker:

protective

Speaker:

equipment

Speaker:

off

Speaker:

thoroughly.

Speaker:

But

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

protective

Speaker:

equipment

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

fit

Speaker:

right,

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

masks

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

off

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

shelf

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

designed

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

human

Speaker:

beings –

Speaker:

not

Speaker:

furs

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

him.

Speaker:

So

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

cleaned

Speaker:

himself

Speaker:

again

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

scrub-out

Speaker:

showers.

Speaker:

Used

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

sterility

Speaker:

test-swab

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

make

Speaker:

sure

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

have

Speaker:

anything

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

him,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

slumped

Speaker:

onto

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

bench

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

locker

Speaker:

room,

Speaker:

holding

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

face

Speaker:

tightly,

Speaker:

whiskers

Speaker:

squeezed

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

snout.
Even

Speaker:

if

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

wasn’t

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

happy

Speaker:

place,

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

still

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

place

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

be.

Speaker:

It

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

honest

Speaker:

work.

Speaker:

When

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

arrived,

Speaker:

things

Speaker:

were

Speaker:

dirty,

Speaker:

unkempt.

Speaker:

When

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

left,

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

left

Speaker:

them

Speaker:

pristine.
That

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

worth

Speaker:

holding

Speaker:

onto,

Speaker:

wasn’t

Speaker:

it?

*

No

Speaker:

one

Speaker:

sat

Speaker:

beside

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

tram

Speaker:

home,

Speaker:

shying

Speaker:

away

Speaker:

from

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

filthy,

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

stank.

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

wasn’t,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

didn’t.

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

sweating

Speaker:

salaryman

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

other

Speaker:

side

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

tram?

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

needed

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

crack

Speaker:

open

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

tram’s

Speaker:

nearest

Speaker:

window,

Speaker:

because

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

how

Speaker:

obvious

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

salaryman

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

pulled

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

double

Speaker:

shift

Speaker:

since

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

last

Speaker:

shower.

Speaker:

But

Speaker:

people

Speaker:

sat

Speaker:

beside

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

salaryman,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

not

Speaker:

Rick,

Speaker:

because

Speaker:

they

Speaker:

thought

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

dirty

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

either

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

believe

Speaker:

their

Speaker:

own

Speaker:

noses

Speaker:

or

Speaker:

simply

Speaker:

couldn’t

Speaker:

pick

Speaker:

up

Speaker:

odours

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

well

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

could.
The

Speaker:

tram

Speaker:

rolled

Speaker:

silently

Speaker:

along

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

rails

Speaker:

lain

Speaker:

along

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

main

Speaker:

roads

Speaker:

linking

Speaker:

Uptown

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

the 4th

Speaker:

Residential

Speaker:

District.

Speaker:

Self-driving

Speaker:

cars

Speaker:

neatly

Speaker:

slotted

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

behind

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

front

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

it,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

scurried

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

way

Speaker:

whenever

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

tram

Speaker:

needed

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

turn,

Speaker:

gradually

Speaker:

making

Speaker:

its

Speaker:

way

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

the 7th

Speaker:

Residential

Speaker:

District,

Speaker:

away

Speaker:

from

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

trees

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

grass of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

nearby

Speaker:

Upper

Speaker:

Greens and

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

modern

Speaker:

sprawl

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

four

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

five

Speaker:

storey

Speaker:

buildings –

Speaker:

just

Speaker:

tall

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

crowded

Speaker:

enough

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

make

Speaker:

homes

Speaker:

cramped,

Speaker:

uncomfortable,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

affordable.

Speaker:

Especially

Speaker:

if

Speaker:

shared

Speaker:

between

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

few

Speaker:

roommates.
More

Speaker:

commuting

Speaker:

salary

Speaker:

men

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

women –

Speaker:

suited

Speaker:

officeworkers

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

unwaveringly

Speaker:

corporation-committed

Speaker:

style

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

Japan

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

years

Speaker:

gone

Speaker:

by –

Speaker:

stood

Speaker:

clinging

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

tram’s

Speaker:

handrails

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

hanging

Speaker:

straps,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

not

Speaker:

one

Speaker:

took

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

seat

Speaker:

beside

Speaker:

Rick.

Speaker:

Not

Speaker:

even

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

lone

Speaker:

cheetah

Speaker:

among

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

humans,

Speaker:

wearing

Speaker:

an

Speaker:

unusually

Speaker:

shaded

Speaker:

blue

Speaker:

suit

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

better

Speaker:

contrast

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

shade

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

their

Speaker:

fur.
They

Speaker:

all

Speaker:

avoided

Speaker:

him,

Speaker:

shunned

Speaker:

him,

Speaker:

so

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

looked

Speaker:

away,

Speaker:

neatly

Speaker:

folded

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

naked

Speaker:

tail

Speaker:

over

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

lap,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

set

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

work

Speaker:

duffle

Speaker:

over

Speaker:

it.

Speaker:

He’d

Speaker:

long

Speaker:

ago

Speaker:

covered

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

GaleHome

Speaker:

sanitary

Speaker:

services logo

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

series

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

promotional

Speaker:

patches

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

companies

Speaker:

Galehome

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

sent

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

clean

Speaker:

for – Rolson Dynamics, Hallman Electronics, Coronet Investment Management,

Speaker:

even

Speaker:

Norec-Naroi –

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

people

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

avoid

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

because

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

worked

Speaker:

sanitation.
Hartley

Speaker:

knew

Speaker:

it.

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

tourists

Speaker:

knew

Speaker:

it.

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

commuters

Speaker:

knew

Speaker:

it.

Speaker:

Even

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

knew

Speaker:

it.
He

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

rat,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

not

Speaker:

one

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

picture-perfect

Speaker:

Giraud

Speaker:

production

Speaker:

line.

Speaker:

He

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

Larue,

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

street

Speaker:

rat

Speaker:

with

Speaker:

fur

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

clumped

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

tufts

Speaker:

no

Speaker:

matter

Speaker:

what

Speaker:

shampoo

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

conditioner

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

used.

Speaker:

Whoever

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

designed

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

geneline

Speaker:

he’d

Speaker:

been

Speaker:

cloned

Speaker:

from

Speaker:

hadn’t

Speaker:

cared

Speaker:

about

Speaker:

aesthetics.
As

Speaker:

usual,

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

tried

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

ignore

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

isolation

Speaker:

by

Speaker:

staring

Speaker:

out

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

window.

Speaker:

This

Speaker:

time,

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

glimpsed

Speaker:

something

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

hadn’t

Speaker:

seen

Speaker:

before.
A

Speaker:

flash

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

white

Speaker:

across

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

side

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

building,

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

fresh

Speaker:

mural,

Speaker:

or

Speaker:

maybe

Speaker:

graffiti.

Speaker:

There

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

one

Speaker:

blink,

Speaker:

passed

Speaker:

behind

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

tram

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

moment

Speaker:

later.
He’d

Speaker:

seen

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

pair

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

loving

Speaker:

hands

Speaker:

carefully

Speaker:

enfolding

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

shielding

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

small

Speaker:

white

Speaker:

body,

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

curled

Speaker:

shape

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

natural

Speaker:

rat,

Speaker:

all

Speaker:

curves.

Speaker:

Clean.

Speaker:

Beautiful.
Adored.
He

Speaker:

tried

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

make

Speaker:

sense

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

flashed

Speaker:

image,

Speaker:

tried

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

fix

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

mind

Speaker:

while

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

texted

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

roommates,

Speaker:

Lana and

Speaker:

Sylvester,

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

let

Speaker:

them

Speaker:

know

Speaker:

he’d

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

back

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

little

Speaker:

late,

Speaker:

got

Speaker:

off

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

tram

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

next

Speaker:

stop,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

started

Speaker:

walking

Speaker:

back

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

it.
It

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

so

Speaker:

stark

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

memory

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

black

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

white.

Speaker:

Then,

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

tried

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

remember,

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

took

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

more

Speaker:

painterly,

Speaker:

coloured

Speaker:

rendition

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

his head...

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

curves

Speaker:

became

Speaker:

corners,

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

clean

Speaker:

lines

Speaker:

smudged.

Speaker:

Gradually

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

whole

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

image

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

head

Speaker:

became

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

measurements,

Speaker:

angles

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

stroke

Speaker:

order

Speaker:

necessary

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

precisely

Speaker:

paint

Speaker:

it,

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

layout

Speaker:

diagram

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

painting

Speaker:

ground-markings

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

safety

Speaker:

symbols

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

code.
His

Speaker:

mental

Speaker:

image

Speaker:

swam,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

two

Speaker:

things

Speaker:

remained

Speaker:

clear.

Speaker:

First,

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

figure

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

beautiful,

Speaker:

loved

Speaker:

rat.

Speaker:

Accepted

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

wanted.

Speaker:

Second,

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

fluttering

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

chest,

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

flying,

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

hope.

Speaker:

A

Speaker:

conviction

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

if

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

saw

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

mural

Speaker:

again,

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

make

Speaker:

sense

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

it,

Speaker:

everything

Speaker:

would

Speaker:

change.

Speaker:

That

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

mural

Speaker:

would

Speaker:

change

Speaker:

him,

Speaker:

make

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

beautiful,

Speaker:

make

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

someone

Speaker:

who

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

loved.

Speaker:

He

Speaker:

just

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

see

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

again.

Speaker:

Just

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

understand.
All

Speaker:

nonsense,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

kept

Speaker:

walking,

Speaker:

trying

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

shield

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

strange

Speaker:

little

Speaker:

ember

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

hope

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

chest

Speaker:

from

Speaker:

all

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

doubts.
The

Speaker:

mural

Speaker:

didn’t

Speaker:

give

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

same

Speaker:

spark

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

inspiration,

Speaker:

when

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

saw

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

again,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

still

Speaker:

beautiful.
The

Speaker:

white

Speaker:

rat

Speaker:

protected

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

loving

Speaker:

hands

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

painted

Speaker:

across

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

back

Speaker:

wall

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

building,

Speaker:

behind

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

parking

Speaker:

lot,

Speaker:

covering

Speaker:

older

Speaker:

graffiti

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

dancing

Speaker:

colour.
The

Speaker:

mural

Speaker:

wasn’t

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

rat,

Speaker:

really.
It

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

woman

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

flowing

Speaker:

red

Speaker:

clothes.

Speaker:

Her

Speaker:

skin

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

stylized

Speaker:

tone,

Speaker:

somewhere

Speaker:

between

Speaker:

tamarind

Speaker:

rinds

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

statuesque

Speaker:

bronze.

Speaker:

She

Speaker:

wore

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

queenly

Speaker:

crown,

Speaker:

gold

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

filigreed

Speaker:

petals,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

single

Speaker:

bindi

Speaker:

dot

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

brow.

Speaker:

Sanskrit

Speaker:

text

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

couldn’t

Speaker:

read

Speaker:

surrounded

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

vibrant

Speaker:

graffiti

Speaker:

swirls.
A

Speaker:

goddess,

Speaker:

gently

Speaker:

holding

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

white

Speaker:

rat

Speaker:

as

Speaker:

though

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

were

Speaker:

sacred.

Speaker:

Smiling

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

it,

Speaker:

turning

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

focus

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

vast

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

powerful

Speaker:

love.

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

afternoon

Speaker:

sunlight

Speaker:

turned

Speaker:

its

Speaker:

white

Speaker:

fur

Speaker:

into

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

blazing

Speaker:

icon,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

way

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

artist

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

shaped

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

rat

Speaker:

made

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

seem

Speaker:

not

Speaker:

just

Speaker:

alive,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

fluid.

Speaker:

Like

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

river,

Speaker:

or

Speaker:

ocean

Speaker:

wave –

Speaker:

something

Speaker:

naturally

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

motion,

Speaker:

its

Speaker:

curves

Speaker:

hinting

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

life

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

vitality.

Speaker:

As

Speaker:

though

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

anywhere

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

wanted

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

be,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

where

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

chose

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

be

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

here –

Speaker:

within

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

hands,

Speaker:

protected

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

admired.
The

Speaker:

rat

Speaker:

seemed...

Speaker:

happy.
Rick

Speaker:

still

Speaker:

felt

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

spark

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

hope

Speaker:

inside

Speaker:

himself,

Speaker:

but

Speaker:

distantly,

Speaker:

now.

Speaker:

Hidden

Speaker:

by

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

mural.

Speaker:

But

Speaker:

if

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

get

Speaker:

inside

Speaker:

it,

Speaker:

behind

Speaker:

it,

Speaker:

if

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

stand

Speaker:

inside

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

mural,

Speaker:

maybe

Speaker:

he

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

find

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

hope

Speaker:

again

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

make

Speaker:

it

Speaker:

stronger.
Rick didn’t

Speaker:

understand

Speaker:

why

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

mural

Speaker:

made

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

feel

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

that.

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

only

Speaker:

thing

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

could

Speaker:

understand

Speaker:

about

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

mural

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

sign

Speaker:

around

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

corner – 7th

Speaker:

Residential

Speaker:

Hindu

Speaker:

Mandir –

Speaker:

because

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

high-school

Speaker:

social

Speaker:

studies

Speaker:

classes

Speaker:

taught

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

Hindu

Speaker:

temples

Speaker:

were

Speaker:

called

Speaker:

mandirs.
“Hello.

Speaker:

You

Speaker:

like

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

mural

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

Karni

Speaker:

Mata?”
The

Speaker:

woman

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

Indian.

Speaker:

Had

Speaker:

approached

Speaker:

slowly,

Speaker:

clearly

Speaker:

torn

Speaker:

between

Speaker:

wanting

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

say

Speaker:

hello,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

wanting

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

let

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

stand

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

stare.

Speaker:

But

Speaker:

he’d

Speaker:

smiled

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

her,

Speaker:

awkwardly,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

she’d

Speaker:

smiled

Speaker:

back,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

few

Speaker:

moments of

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

had

Speaker:

apparently

Speaker:

been

Speaker:

enough

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

approach.
“Very

Speaker:

much.

Speaker:

Is

Speaker:

that

Speaker:

her

Speaker:

name?”
“One

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

them.”


This

Speaker:

was

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

first

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

two

Speaker:

parts

Speaker:

of “Visage

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

a

Speaker:

Vermin

Speaker:

Vandal”

Speaker:

by

Speaker:

Malcolm

Speaker:

F.

Speaker:

Cross,

Speaker:

read for you live at Furlandia 2026 by Rob MacWolf,

Speaker:

Werewolf

Speaker:

Hitchhiker.

Speaker:

Tune

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

next

Speaker:

time

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

see

Speaker:

just

Speaker:

how

Speaker:

much

Speaker:

paint

Speaker:

Rick

Speaker:

uses

Speaker:

up

Speaker:

discovering

Speaker:

whether

Speaker:

or not

Speaker:

this

Speaker:

moment

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

inspiration

Speaker:

will

Speaker:

change

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

life.

As

Speaker:

always,

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

can

Speaker:

find

Speaker:

more

Speaker:

stories

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

web

Speaker:

at

Speaker:

thevoice.dog,

Speaker:

or

Speaker:

find

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

show

Speaker:

wherever

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

get

Speaker:

your

Speaker:

podcasts.

Speaker:

Thank

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

for

Speaker:

listening

Speaker:

to

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

Voice

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

Dog.

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